Container vehicle and adjustable bracket means therefor

ABSTRACT

In a container-carrying flat deck railroad car, a plurality of adjustable container corner brackets mounted on the deck, each bracket having a support leg pivotally and slidably attached to the car side sill for longitudinal movement and a member pivotally mounted with said support leg, said member being provided with a container corner bracket seat being provided with a base portion couplable in one position to the deck and in another position foldable into a recess within the deck and having guide means for locating the member into the recess, the member and the support leg lying flush with the deck.

United States Patent Inventor Roy W. Miller Highland, Ind.

Appl. No, 773,932

Filed Nov. 6, 1968 Patented Jan. 26, 1971 Assignee Pullman IncorporatedChicago, 111. a corporation of Delaware CONTAINER VEHICLE AND ADJUSTABLEBRACKET MEANS THEREFOR 6 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 105/366, 248/1 19, 248/361 Int. Cl B6ld 45/00 Field of Search105/366,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,160,117 12/1964 Willisonet a1. 105/366(.8) 3,354,838 1 1/1967 Mowatt-Larssen 105/366 3,391,6547/1968 Grob et a1. 105/366 Primary ExaminerDrayton E. HoffmanAttorneys-Hilmond O. Vogel and Wayne Morris Russell ABSTRACT: In acontainer-carrying flat deck railroad car, a plurality of adjustablecontainer corner brackets mounted on the deck, each bracket having asupport leg pivotally and slidably attached to the car side sill forlongitudinal movement and a member pivotally mounted with said supportleg, said member being provided with a container comer bracket seatbeing provided with a base portion couplable in one position to the deckand in another position foldable into a recess within the deck andhaving guide means for locating the member into the recess, the memberand the support leg lying flush with the deck.

- PATENTEU JAN26 l97l sum 1 OF 2 III 5 Illllll lnvenror Roy W. Millerwgw Attorney PATENTEDJAN26|97| 3,557,710

SHEET 2 [IF 2 Inventor Roy W. Miller AHornev CONTAINER VEHICLE ANDADJUSTABLE BRACKET MEANS THEREFOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Fieldof the Invention This invention relates to container cars andparticularly to railroad flat cars having bracket means for storing thecontainers on the flat deck of the railroad car. Containerization or theshipping of lading in containers via land, sea and air travel isbecoming increasingly more popular. Containers may vary in size and itis desirable to provide for container-carrying structure on the vehiclewhich will permit acceptance of various size containers. It is this areawith which the invention is concerned.

2. Description of the Prior Art Many types of container brackets forsupporting and carrying containers have heretofore been provided. Withthe variation in container sizes, development of various types ofcontainer comer brackets has occurred but it is desired to provide foradjustable type comer bracket means for accepting different sizedcontainers and yet to be placed in an out-of-way position when not inuse so that the flat car may receive other types of lading without beingobstructed by the container comer bracket arrangement. It is thisobjective the invention purports to provide.

SUMMARY The invention relates to an improvement in the type of mountingon a flat deck car for receiving a container. The invention inparticular relates to a type of comer bracket arrangement which ismovable lengthwise of the flat deck to adjust to various containers andyet which may be stored out of sight and clear and free of the flat deckwhen not in use so that other types of lading may be stored on therailroad car or permit the driving of a motorized unit over the surfaceof the flat deck without hitting the container bracket.

These and other objects, advantages and purposes of the invention willbecome more readily apparent by reference to the following descriptionand attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partial plan view of aflat deck railroad car employing the subject invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. I;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the flat deck embodying thesubject invention;

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the novel container corner bracketarrangement and receptacle therefor;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference now to thedrawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a portion of the flat deck 2of a railroad car 3 which is also provided with the usual trucks 4 andside sill or side structure 5. The flat car 3 may be of the cushionedunderframe type and provided with coupling means 6. The flat deck isprovided with a plurality of container comer bracket structures 7disposed along the sides of the car and intermediate the ends thereofwhich corner brackets are adjustable and is further provided with fixedend comer brackets 8.

The container comer brackets 8, 8 of the fixed type may be recessed inthe deck, as shown in FIG. 1, or elevated into an in-use position, asshown in FIG. 2, to cooperate with the adjustable container comerbracket 7, as shown in FIG. 2, for supporting a container 9.

Particular attention is directed here to the adjustable type comerbracket 7 which, as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, is in the recessed orout-of-use position belowv the top of the flat deck 2 or in theabovedeck or in-use elevated position, as shown in FIGS. 58. The cornerbracket 7 is composed of a pair of intercoupled hinged portionspivotally connected to the overhanging portion of the deck 2 adjacentthe side sill 5, as, for instance, shown in FIG. 7. The first hingedportion of the container bracket 7 is comprised of a support andconnecting leg or plate 10, the lower outer end of which is providedwith a curved or looped eye or end portion 11 about a rod or hingedstructure 12 welded to the lower outboard side portions of the deck, thehinge pin structure 12 extending substantially the length of the deckfor pivotally supporting the support leg or arm 10. The deck has such arod I2 on either side thereof. The support element 10 is free to movelongitudinally of the car along the rod 12. The upper portion of thesupport leg 10 is provided with a pivot pin structure 13 on the insidethereof and pivotally carries the upper or container-supporting cornerbracket element 14. To this end, the support arm 10 is slotted as at 15for receiving lugs 16 of the upper container bracket element or member14, the hinge pin 13 passing by the lug portions 16. I

The upper container-supporting bracket element 14 is provided with sideand transverse indexing wall portions 17 and 18 for guiding 'the comerof the container onto seat 19 which is provided with load-bearingsupport members 20 and 21, and 22 transverse to members 20 and 21, themembers 18, 17, 20, 21 and 22 being attached to the base or bottom wall23 of the upper element 14. Lugs or feet 24 extend from the base 23 andare L-shaped in cross section, as seen in FIG. 6, and extend throughenlarged elongated openings 25 in the deck 2 and are movable to the edgeof the opening for preventing removal of the upper hinged element 14from the deck, as seen in FIG. 6. It will be noted in FIGS. 1 and 3, forinstance, that there are a plurality of such apertures 25 extendinglongitudinally along each side of the deck to permit the pair of feet24, 24 of each upper hinged element to be placed at a plurality oflocations.

The downwardly extending vertical wall portion of the indexing elementpart 18 is provided with a spring loaded removable container locking pin26 extendable out of opening 26a of member 14, the pin 26 having aspring 27 for holding the pin in container aperture 28, as seen in FIG.8. It is to be noted that the container indexing or pin element 26 islocated above the hinge pin 13. The housing 27a for pin 26 and spring 27is carried by the lower part of the upper hinged element 14. As seen inFIGS. 6 and 7, the indexing element 18 which carries the hinged journals33 is attached to the seat 19 and the base 23 and side 17 and comprisesan upper sloped portion 18a and a lower backing portion 18b which formsa passage 30a for the hinge pin 13 and the upper lug portions 15a of thelower hinge plate 10. As seen in FIG. 5, the pin 13, fixed to thesupport arm 10, is joumaled in side portions 33 of the upper hingedelement 14 for pivotal movement of same inwardly and outwardly of thedeck relative to the support arm 10. The below-deck receptacle 30 isgenerally rectangular in shape and receives the container bracketportions 10 and 14 for storing purposes, as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. Thecorner bracket structure 7 may be moved from the stored position bygrabbing the recessed lid portion 31 of the upper hinged element 14 (seeFIG. 3) to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 4 to the upright orin-use position with feet 24 in the deck apertures 25, as seen in FIGS.5-8. The hinged container bracket structure 7 may be pivoted aboutlongitudinally extending support structure 12 from the receptacle 30 andmoved longitudinally onto the deck 2, the feet 24 of the upper bracket14 extending into the deck apertures 25 or through the openings 35 (seeFIGS. 4 or 5) of the side sills 5.

As seen in FIG. 3, the hinged portions 10 and 14 of the bracket 7 lieflush with the deck 2 and in the raised position are at an angle withone another to present the seat 19 in a horizontal position. The storagepocket 30 is provided with a sloping guide edge portion 30a for guidingthe base 23 of the upper hinged portion 14 of the bracket 7 into therecess for storing the bracket 7 in the closed position.

Thus, what is provided is a double hinged corner bracket pivotallymounted on the side of the car and movable therealong and having feetinterlocking with the flat deck in the in-use position or stored whenrecessed below the deck when in the out-of-use position, the pocketbeing provided with a guiding edge for recessing the corner bracket. Thefolded corner bracket in the stored position is flush with the deck andassumes an upright position when slidable along the longitudinallyextending guide rod or pipe. The flat deck so constructed is capable,with the fixed and movable corner brackets, to carry a plurality ofcontainers.

The foregoing description and drawings are given merely to explain andillustrate the invention, and the invention is not to be limited theretosince those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them willbe able to make modifications and variations therein without departingfrom the scope of the invention.

lclaim:

1. In a railroad car having a flat deck for carrying a plurality ofcontainer support brackets to support the container at its comer:

a support bracket comprising a container support member having a firstupright wall and a support leg being pivotally connected at one end tosaid first wall;

longitudinally extending guide means mounted on the laterally outboardportion of the side of the car and pivotally connecting with the otherend of the support leg for transverse pivoting of the support bracketfrom a container supporting position to a stored position;

said container support member having a second upright wall transverse tothe first upright wall and generally horizontal seat means connectingwith each of the walls;

said container support member having a base disposed below the seatmeans and catch means extending upwardly from said base portion;portion;

said deck having on its side edge portion aperture means for receivingsaid catch means while said support leg braces the container supportmember in the container supporting position; and

said deck having recess means extending below the deck and spaced inlongitudinal alignment with the aperture means, the longitudinallyextending guide means being outboard of the aperture means and therecess means whereby the support bracket may be swingable inboardly tothe container supporting position or moved longitudinally and movedinboardly to the container stored position within the recess means belowthe deck with the support member being generally flush with the deck.

2. The invention according to claim I, and said recess means beingprovided with wall means having catch receiving means in the sidethereof and said catch means extending in the catch receiving means inthe stored position of the support bracket.

3. The invention according to claim I, and indexing and 5 tying meansbeing on one of said walls and spaced above said seat means and saidleg.

4. The invention according to claim I, and said longitudinally extendingguide means being generally in the same plane as said deck and saidsupport leg extending diagonally upwardly therefrom in the containersupporting position.

5. In a railroad car having a flat deck for carrying container means: i

a plurality of movable supporting brackets in longitudinal and lateralspaced relation with respect to one another for supporting one or morecontainers at the container comer;

each supporting bracket comprising a container support member having afirst upright wall and a support leg being pivotally connected at oneend to said first upright wall; longitudinally extending guide meansmounted on the laterally outboard portion of each side of the car andpivotally connecting with the other end of the support leg, fortransverse pivoting of the support brackets from a container supportingposition to a stored position; said container support member having asecond upright wall transverse to the first wall and generallyhorizontal seat means connecting with each of the walls;

said container support member having a base portion disposed below theseat means and catch means extending outwardly from said base portion;

said deck having on each side edge portion thereof aperture means forreceiving said catch means while said support leg braces the containersupport member in the container supporting position; and

each side of said deck having recess means extending below the deckspaced in longitudinal alignment with the aperture means, thelongitudinally extending guide means being outboard of the aperturemeans and the recess means whereby the support bracket may be swingableinboardly to the container supporting position or moved longitudinallyand moved inboardly to the container stored position within the recessmeans below the deck with the support member being generally flush withthe deck.

6. The invention according to claim 5, and each guide means including alongitudinal rod member attached on a respective lateral end of the deckand each rod member being generally below the top surface of the deckand said bracket for each rod member having a hinged portion beingslidable 50 generally along the length of its respective rod member.

1. In a railroad car having a flat deck for carrying a plurality ofcontainer support brackets to support the container at its corner: asupport bracket comprising a container support member having a firstupright wall and a support leg being pivotally connected at one end tosaid first wall; longitudinally extending guide means mounted on thelaterally outboard portion of the side of the car and pivotallyconnecting with the other end of the support leg for transverse pivotingof the support bracket from a container supporting position to a storedposition; said container support member having a second upright walltransverse to the first upright wall and generally horizontal seat meansconnecting with each of the walls; said container support member havinga base disposed below the seat means and catch means extending upwardlyfrom said base portion; portion; said deck having on its side edgeportion aperture means for receiving said catch means while said supportleg braces the container support member in the container supportingposition; and said deck having recess means extending below the deck andspaced in longitudinal alignment with the aperture means, thelongitudinally extending guide means being outboard of the aperturemeans and the recess means whereby the support bracket may be swingableinboardly to the container supporting position or moved longitudinallyand moved inboardly to the container stored position within the recessmeans below the deck with the support member being generally flush withthe deck.
 2. The invention according to claim 1, and said recess meansbeing provided with wall means having catch receiving means in the sidethereof and said catch means extending in the catch receiving means inthe stored position of the support bracket.
 3. The invention accordingto claim 1, and indexing and tying means being on one of said walls andspaced above said seat means and said leg.
 4. The invention according toclaim 1, and said longitudinally extending guide means being generallyin the same plane as said deck and said support leg extending diagonallyupwardly therefrom in the container supporting position.
 5. In arailroad car having a flat deck for carrying container means: aplurality of movable supporting brackets in longitudinal and lateralspaced relation with respect to one another for supporting one or morecontainers at the container corner; each supporting bracket comprising acontainer support member having a first upright wall and a support legbeing pivotally connected at one end to said first upright wall;longitudinally extending guide means mounted on the laterally outboardportion of each side of the car and pivotally connecting with the otherend of the support leg, for transverse pivoting of the support bracketsfrom a container supporting position to a stored position; saidcontainer support member having a second upright wall transverse to thefirst wall and generally horizontal seat means connecting with each ofthe walls; said container support member having a base portion disposedbelow the seat means and catch means extending outwardly from said baseportion; said deck having on each side edge portion thereof aperturemeans for receiving said catch means while said support leg braces thecontainer support member in the container supporting position; and eachside of said deck having recess means extending below the deck spaced inlongitudinal alignment with the aperture means, the longitudinallyextending guide means being outboard of the aperture means and therecess means whereby the support bracket may be swingable inboardly tothe container supporting position or moved longitudinally and movedinboardly to the container stored position within the recess means belowthe deck with the support member being generally flush with the deck. 6.The invention according to claim 5, and each guide means including alongitudinal rod member attached on a respective lateral end of the deckand each rod member being generally below the top surface of the deckand said bracket for each rod member having a hinged portion beingslidable generally along the length of its respective rod member.